Of Royalty and Half Breeds
by Black Star5
Summary: In the Orphanage, there's this story. We hope it's true. I suck at summaries... I think the first paragraph in the story should be a good one though, so check it out. a little Corpse Bride xover.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to the Burton Orphanage. Welcome to the place of bleak disenchantment, where the motto is "Hardships make one strong and one must be strong to survive." Welcome to our home.

The orphanage is a large building. It was the largest in the area. The only other buildings even close to it are the church, down the road a few miles into town, and City Hall, where the adoption papers were decided when we got to leave this hideous place.

We weren't stupid, though. We knew that no one wanted to adopt an older child, except for free work. But we still wanted to hope that we had parents out there that were looking for us, even though it was hard to miss us, out in the middle of nowhere like this. We clung to hope with every fiber of our consciousness. Hope that maybe our Edward would come for us.

Oh! Forgive me! I'm talking about an old story that's one of our favorites. See, it's about this orphan girl, Veilia. She was said to have lived here once. She grew up in this orphanage until she was 16 with her sister Ravanna, who was quite different from Veila. We had heard from older children that Ravanna was one of the prettiest, raven haired girls to ever have lived in the orphanage and she insisted that she was what every parent was looking for, so she started what we call the Seasonal Show. Every season we would have a large play and everyone from town would attend. We would all look spectacular in our costumes and present ourselves to try to convince someone to adopt us. And of course, Ravanna would have several parents look into adopting her, but Ravanna refused to leave without her sister, and, unfortunately, no one wanted Veilia.

She was very strange, the stories say. She liked to be alone, and in the orphanage, this was extremely difficult. So she would hang out in the tower. The tower is the tallest part of the building. The clock and bell are up there. Ever since the toll was put on gears, no one has much reason to go up there except for cleaning. That was why Veilia loved being up there so much. She was black headed, like her sister, but that was the only thing they had in common. Ravanna's hair was curly and stood up over wide and expressive eyes. Veilia's hair was straight and limp and usually hung over her expressionless looking face.

But where the parents chose in favor of Ravanna, the other children, if ever asked, would differ without a doubt. They saw Ravanna as a bossy, arrogant, self-promoting brat. She made many enemies when she cuddled up to the teachers in the school and created the tradition of the shows. Everyone knew that Ravanna had just come up with it because it made her look good.

When they talked to Veilia, though, they found someone who was as much a devoted and supporting listener, as Ravanna was a talker. Even as Veilia loved her privacy and being alone, the children loved being near her, because, even though she didn't say much, with just a few words, she could make the worst day possible into a bright and shining star, if you'd let her. She was the second best thing to a loving mother, and the orphans were sort of glad that no parent wanted her. And when Ravanna was having one of her days and would chase Veilia, trying to convince her to be more outgoing so that she could convince someone to get them out of the orphanage, the others would hideVeilia and send Ravanna on a wild goose chase for hours on end. ThenRavanna would give up and get another group together to work on the Seasonal Show.

Ravanna had their efforts, but Veilia had their hearts.

Then, one day, Veilia decided to be a part of the show. Actively. Alongside Ravanna. It was a shock to all the teachers, but even more of one to the orphans. What had made her change? Why had she decided to try harder this time?

Ravanna was overjoyed. She had thought of the perfect play to do. Snow White and Rose Red. Ravanna took the old fairy tale and made several changes to it, as she usually did when she was "directing." The story went that Snow White, Ravanna, and Rose Red, Veilia, lived together in a little cottage. Then two injured bears show up on their doorstep, one black and one brown. They take them in and care for them. The next day, they were gone. After a few days had passed, a little elfin man shows up and tells them he is looking for two bears that stole his gold. The sisters feel badly that they helped the bears escape and offer to help the old elf man find them. When they do, the bears turn into princes and the girls find out the elf was lying, and the elf was trying to steal the crowns from the princes. The princes and the elf have a great sword fight; the princes win and offer to marry Snow White and Rose Red for their gentle and kind souls.

None of the children in the orphanage really cared for this story, but they knew that if they tried to disagree that Ravanna would tell the teachers they weren't cooperating and they would be stuck with kitchen duty that night and every night until they complied

After Ravanna had told Veilia the story, Veilia asked for the journal in Ravanna's hands, where she had written out the changes. When Ravanna handed it over, Veilia began making changes. Ravanna was so shocked that Veilia was acting against her, she just let it happen. As she watched, she started agreeing with Veilia's changes.

"…I know a pretty song the younger kids' choir could sing here… and this line should be more dynamic…" as she spoke, she became less and less shy and quiet, and more and more passionate until she seemed very confident when she made the last few changes.

When she was done, Ravanna hugged her. "You don't know how long I've waited for this day!"

She immediately began passing out the new scripts, which had a much better greeting from the childrenthan the old ones.

Then, on the night of the show, Veilia had disappeared and no one could find her. Ravanna became very angry with her sister and climbed up the tower looking for her. When she found out Veilia wasn't in the tower, she looked out over the grounds. Three hills to the west, was an old, dead tree with a swing hanging from it. Veilia was swinging to and fro watching out over the ravine just in front of her, her back to Ravanna.

Ravanna stormed out to the swing, tripping on old roots and getting her hair snagged on branches as she made her way through the old forest in the valley between the last two hills, and began yelling that Veilia needed to hurry or the curtain would go up and there would be no Rose Red or Snow White to greet the bears. Veilia never turned around.

Ravanna got close enough to touch her when she saw it. Across the deep ravine, bathed in pale moonlight, was a town. It was lit up and glowing. But Ravanna hadn't seen it from the Orphanage.

Veilia turned around. "I wanted to do the play as a goodbye. To do something that I'd always wanted to, but it's too late. It's time.I have to gotonight. And if you don't leave, he'll take you too." Her voice was monotone and quiet again. She wanted Ravanna to leave before any of the ghosts saw her.

Ravanna thought her sister was trying to get out of going up in front of an audience. "Come on, Veilia! I don't have time for this! And neither do you! We have to get you into the make-up!"

Suddenly, the streets in the town on the other side began to fill with a glowing, moving fog.

"Run, Ravanna!" Veilia pushed her sister away. Ravanna landed on the ground with a thump and watched, wide-eyed as her sister stood up, staring at the town.

Suddenly, the fog began running down the other side of the ravine, like a waterfall. Ravanna scrambled to her feet and grabbed Veilia's hand, dragging her down the hill towards the Orphanage. "Come on! Hurry!" The fog rose up out of the ravine and seemed to chase them.

They ran through the forest together, the branches of the trees even more of a hindrance than they had been before.

Suddenly, Veilia stopped. They were almost to the hill that was the halfway point. Ravanna turned to grab Veilia again, when she saw her sister's face.

Veilia looked angry. "I told you to go! Run, Ravanna! I'll slow them down! Run!"

Ravanna just stood there, rooted to the spot and shrieked as a black shadow emerged from the trees, beckoning to Veilia. When he finally came into the pale light of the full moon, Ravanna found the will to run. She ran all the way back to the orphanage.

"Edward." Veilia addressed. The shadow bowed his head slightly. "I can't come now. You know that don't you. Ravanna will tell everyone what she saw. The next full moon will come and you're town will be discovered."

"Well, you shouldn't have offered to star in the play." Edward replied irritably as the shadow guise evaporated to leave a young man of 20 with a tall slender build. He was wearing a long, black cape that flared up off of the ground when he walked, a maroon poet shirt and black and white striped pants that stuck well to his long legs. His hair was as white as Veilia's was black, and his face was very gaunt and angular, almost gruesomely handsome. "You knew you would be needed. Time isn't something we have a lot of, here."

Veilia let out a humorless laugh. "I thought the dead had nothing but time."

"Well, now you know." he stated stubbornly. "In order to move them all, I need the Queen of Ghosts anyway. You have to accept your role. You know that."

Veilia turned. "Edward, I'll make you a deal." She whispered, as if expecting the trees to hear.

Edward groaned and put his hand to his forehead as if experiencing a headache. "This is your last one! Don't waste it!"

"I don't intend to." Veilia answered. "In accordance with your laws, in exchange for helping the King of the Ghosts, I get to make three contracts with him. My first was for you to leave Ravanna out of this, because she was my twin and you would have brought her back to Ghost Village as well. In exchange, I promised my hand in marriage, which you gladly accepted and we are engaged. My second was that you wait until I was of age before going through with your plans. In exchange, I promised to visit Ghost Village every night of the full moon until then, which I have done, and will continue to do for the final two years of our agreement."

Edward winced inwardly as she completed her verse. She remembered very well that he didn't have to make the deal if she wasn't specific in every detail. So what ever she's doing, she wants the two previous deals included and unchanged.

He stared at her with an emotionless mask as he spoke his rehearsed line from over and over again.

"You have kept with your promises. What is it you require?"

"I wish to remain human." She watched his eyes grow large in shock then narrow in anger.

"Such a wish goes against your first promise." His face was nothing short of black rage incarnate, the even tone in his voice deep and menacing.

"Such a wish doesn't if we get married anyway. What does it matter if I am alive or not? We'll be together in the end. I promised."

"Veilia, you know as well as I do that there's a loophole in the vows if one party is already dead."

"'Till death do you PART.' Even though you're dead, even if I died, we'd still not be parted, so it really has no effect on us."

Edward sighed and thought about it. He could easily conceal himself in a human guise. But would it be worth it? Could he manage a human wife and home and still see over his Kingdom? Maybe if he didn't have so many rivals right now… He'd only done this because he needed the Ghost Queen's daughter to give him an heir and solidify his rule. This was another setback… If she remained human, it would be decades until she could even think of giving him a Ghost Prince or Princess… she was turning out to be more trouble than she was worth…

"In exchange, I'll give, freely and of my own will, an heir." She finished quietly. "An heir to the thrown of the Ghost Kingdom." He turned so quickly; a human would have fallen over.

"What? Do you even hear yourself, Veilia?"

"An heir. If I can remain human for until 5 years after I am of age, I'll give you an heir."

"What makes you think you won't give me one anyway?" He crossed his arms arrogantly.

"Edward… Believe it or not, I have been reading the books and scrolls you've given me. Ghost pregnancy happens only once every hundred thousand chances, and even then there's no guaranteed success of birth. As a human, I can promise one far earlier than… what… maybe a thousand years from now, if luck held out."

He thought about this for a moment. It was a good plan… but what of the heir? He couldn't just bring it back home if it was a human… there was a long list of problems, but none of them would take terribly long to fix… at least, not thousands of years.

"Lady Veilia, you are truly dedicated to your cause, aren't you?" Edward smiled and pulled the 16-year-old future Queen into his arms, which were solid and strong despite lack of actual flesh. "My Queen? I have but one question before I grant your request."

"Hmm?" her eyes looked up at him with a small, happy light reflecting deeply within them.

"Why do you want to stay here?" His question held innocence, sincerity and curiosity more than any adult should have been able to pull off.

"…I'm not sure… I think… it's for my sister. I guess I just want to stick around until she gets off on her own two feet and isn't pining away for someone to rescue her. I want to see if she'll ever try to stand on her own."

Edward took a deep breath. "It'll take some wrangling, and I'm not sure how long I'll be able to be human, but… Wish granted."

She smiled quietly, but it was a smile that, to him, meant she would put the world at his feet if she could.

Hey, guys! I've never done this sort of ficcy before!

Depending on the reviews I get, number and nature, I might continue. Or this might remain a one-shotter.

P.S. If you don't want to review, and you like it, please put me on your favs so I'll know how many people like it. I want to do an original similar to this, but I need feedback! I plan to cross this with Nightmare Before Christmas and a little Corpse Bride… heck if I think of any more that would fit, I might do cameos.

I don't own either, so sorry. Lucky Tim Burton..lil' brat…

The Next Chapter takes place in Ghost Village. Keep in mind someone else is telling this. It might be a while before we get to who that is, but be patient! It might even be cause for a sequel! W00t! RNR, please?


	2. Ghost Village Gathering the Counsel

Hey all! I never expected such an outcome! Thank you and thank you again! This is for you!

Fire Filly, Aaya Skellington, Skeleton Doll, Nina Hikari, and Aelitagurl!

In Ghost Village

Edward had called on his most trusted advisor, Redwood, to find a spell that would help him become human for a few years. The elder spirit began going through the great libraries he was in charge of. His tall, hunched back and long gray beard would make you wonder if the old tale that spirits never age was true. He wiped the dust from his glasses, which made his eyes looked bugged.

"Well, young master, I think I may have something here." He began mumbling off the ingredients and came to the most important parts. "… Here we are! 'Spell is good until the birth of affected ghost's first child. Not meant for long a term spell. Spell cannot be passed down to offspring. Spell can only be rectified in advance by death of the false body.' Edward? Are you sure about this? While in this form, you won't be able to protect your kingdom."

"I know, Redwood, my old friend. But I gave Veilia my word. She requested a deal, and I have to uphold my end."

"But what about Doppler and Ridisk? They wouldn't think twice about taking advantage of your absence. Not to mention…"

"Don't!" he put his hand over the old man's mouth and looked around. He whispered. "Don't say that name. We don't know if the 'Speak of the Devil' spell is still active." Glancing around once more, he turned back to the old man. "I plan to leave the council of Holidays in charge. They have enough magic to dispel any attempts by… any of my enemies." His dark eyes drifted over to the doorway, and the old man and King made their way to the thrown room where he moved an old panting of some supposedly far off relative to reveal an old fashioned telephone. He picked up the receiver and began dialing. Instead of a number, he seemed to be dialing a date…

Back at the Orphanage

Ravanna hadn't slept at all that night. She kept seeing the town and the mysterious fog in her nightmares. She kept checking the bunk beside hers to make sure her sister was still there. Veilia had barely made it in time for the beginning of the play. Everyone noticed Ravanna wasn't as 'played up' as she usually was and the show wasn't all that bad. In fact, everyone noticed that she was oddly quiet after the play.

She kept seeing the fog in her mind and Veilia pushing her away. Ravanna hadn't asked anything about it, and she didn't intend to. She just wanted to forget, but something in her mind wouldn't let her. She was awake all that night, staring over at Veilia until morning.

There was a month that went by without incident, and then… the night of the full moon, Ravanna followed Veilia to the old swing again. She left as the sun began to set, Ravanna tailing her like a shadow.

When they arrived at the swing, Veilia sat down, facing across the ravine and began to wait. From where she was hiding behind an old, but still live tree, Ravanna could hear the faint sounds of singing. It started very mellow then slid into a lilting cry then back into a deep whisper of emotion. Ravanna had never heard anything so… moving.

"A crown of gold, a ring of silver,

Means not to me, a single thing,

My heart is full, because you chose me,

My future bright, because I know…" She paused, as if contemplating something.

"I… I know that… that…

"I know that you, will keep me safely,

Because you swore, with all your soul,

I know that with you by my side,

I'll never fear, I'll never cry,

For what pain can come, when death will die...

Even death will die, when I'm drowning in your eyes…" She became more and more passionate, pushing herself higher and higher on the swing as she continued.

"I promise you, I will protect you,

From any pain, from any woe,

Because I know, deep in my heart's heart,

I could not be, ever without you,

And inside I know you feel, the same way too."

Ravanna suddenly blushed; feeling like she had no right to be here… but as the final rays of sun disappeared, so did her doubt. The mysterious fog massed over on the other side for a moment before clearing enough to see the same eerily glowing buildings as before, once again bathed in the pale moonlight from the full and shining orb in the sky. Ravanna began to notice what looked like the northern lights zipping through the streets, pausing at every streetlight, as if to turn them on. That was when Ravanna noticed the huge, gothic mansion barely floating above the ground. It was the most ghastly, wondrous and beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

Suddenly, Veilia stood up and began walking toward the ravine. Ravanna slinked up behind the old rotten tree with the swing hanging from its branches and watched carefully, taking in every detail.

Veilia stood, mere millimeters from falling to the gagged rocks below, and put her foot out, straight and posed, as if preparing to do a ballet step off the ledge. As she began to descend, another streak of aurora darted out from the glowing village streets and made a beautiful glowing bridge. Veilia quickly made her way across it, not bothering to look back.

Ravanna stepped delicately towards the bridge. When she got to where Veilia had been standing before the bridge appeared, it shimmered brightly, almost in pleasant surprise. She felt a very pleasant vibration through the air, as if the bridge were welcoming a long lost friend. She smiled down at the bridge in thanks, not daring to speak while following her sister, and scurried across.

Veilia walked into the streets to see all the "Shops" on the main street busy and crowded, especially the tavern. It wasn't really a place to get drunk, but more of a place to socialize. The same thing was available in the smaller cities in the Land of the Dead.

One of the many things the scrolls had taught Veilia was that the only difference between the corpse citizens of the Land of the Dead, and the graceful, pale and transparent peoples of the Ghost Kingdom, were that the spirits either had their bodies cremated, or they had been destroyed beyond any hope of being used in the afterlife. Some of them liked it this way, others had originally been corpses, but didn't like the fleshy decaying smell, and chose the low maintenance option, after being approved by the Holiday counsel to "transfer" forms. Technically you can "transfer" into any form, except human, for obvious reasons (we can't have people coming back to life all the time now, can we? Humans have very delicate societies after all!), but your form dictates where you'll be welcome. The great thing about "transfers"; you usually didn't retain memories of who you once were.

Veilia knew that when she died, she wanted to be a spirit. Her mother was one. See, that's why she was nominated by the Holiday Counsel to be Queen of the Spirits. She, and her sister, were what you'd call half-breeds, which is very unusual, because, compared to the dead, living things breed like rabbits. It was hard for anyone who'd "passed on" to become parents at all.

The reason Veilia and Ravanna hadn't been raised in Ghost Village with "their kind", was that, they were born with flesh, because of their father. Living flesh didn't survive long in Ghost Village. And the Holiday Counsel dictated that the two girls were too young to make the decision on where to stay and what to do, so they were sent to the Orphanage to grow up and decide their fate. They had been treated as though they were being "transferred." Their memories had been erased and they were only left small memories of each other. When Veilia had first seen the town from the Clock tower, it had all come flooding back. She finally understood why she never felt at home with people. She didn't belong there. Ravanna seemed to fit in perfectly, though. Except for her strange need for someone to rescue her. Veilia never understood that. She was just as capable as any other person. More so, in their case. Veilia always suspected, though, that there had been a gaping emotional wound that was tied to that somewhere in her soul.

While Veilia was contemplating this, she absently walked into the "Sleepy Hollow Tavern." That had a headless horseman holding a jack-o-lantern on the street sign.

Ravanna, however, didn't see this. After she'd crossed the bridge, she just stood open mouthed and stared at the buildings that were much taller than they had seemed before.

Suddenly, she realized she had lost her sister. She began looked around in a panicked fashion. She couldn't see anyone in the streets so far, but she could hear lots of voices. She wasn't sure she liked this. She franticly began searching for her sister, looking down every alleyway. "Veilia!" she began calling as spirits began filtering into the streets, like a steady trickling stream. Suddenly she bumped into something and it sent her crashing towards the ground. When she didn't land roughly on her backside, she looked up…

And screamed. Not just any scream, the scream that signaled all of Ghost Village to wake up. Like any of them could remain in bed after that ear splitting racket!

Veilia looked up, startled as the shriek echoed through the nearly empty streets. That sounded like… "Ravanna!" She dashed out of the tavern to see the Pumpkin Queen helping up her sister, who had a wide-eyed, haunted look about her. "Ravanna… you shouldn't have followed me." Her voice became monotone.

"I know…" she said standing up and dusting herself off. "II'm sorry for invading your privacy, Veilia. But I did it with the best intentions! After last month, I thought that you'd been possessed or something! You never said a word about it, either! You just acted like it all went away and never happened. I was scared." She looked down. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble." She directed it in the woman's direction that helped her as she curtsied, out of habit from trying to impress adoptive parents.

"Oh, no trouble." Sally nodded understandingly. "So, you must be Ravanna."

Veilia came and stood beside her sister. "Well, Sally, it looks like the counsel is going to get their wish after all. The both of us will be able to attend tonight's meeting. I'm guessing you and Jack will represent Halloween Town? Was the Mayor busy?"

Sally smiled. "I convinced him that we were the best representatives for the agenda tonight. He's taking a much deserved… nap."

"You put him to sleep, didn't you?" Veilia asked, barely hiding a smile.

Her soft chuckle told her everything. "Careful, Jack," she warned the approaching skeleton, "She might be slipping deadly nightshade into your soup one day." They both laughed at that.

"Sally's just enthusiastic about what she's heard about tonight's agenda." Jack spoke eloquently. "She's been speaking with your mother. She believes that you're still too young to make the decisions that you've been making, Veilia."

Veilia looked into where Jack's eyes should have been with a determined glint in her eye. "I know what everyone thinks, and I also know that this is what's best for our kingdom. Ravanna would've done the same thing if she would've shown up in Ghost Village first." Sally had a disapproving look on her face, wanting to say something, but knowing it wouldn't do any good right now. She could wait till the counsel was gathered…

Ravanna was still staring at the very tall, pinstripe suit wearing skeleton and the rag doll woman standing before her. 'What in the name of all that was good was going on here?' flashed through her mind before she finally started listening to what they were saying. "Wait a minute! Mother? Ghost Village? What's going on, Veilia? I don't understand!" The streets were now teeming with transparent figures, greeting and talking to each other, but also going about their business. Ravanna looked like she was trying to see in every direction at once.

Jack, Sally and Veilia looked at each other knowingly then at Ravanna sympathetically. "Come, Ravanna," Veilia said, leading her towards a small café, thinking it was a little too early for introducing her to the enthusiastic people's who frequented the Tavern. "I'll get you some tea, and we'll discuss everything. Jack? My treat." she added, letting him know he could come. He nodded, following, Sally on his arm.

'Veilia's going to need all the back-up she can get, trying to explain this.'  
Two glowing green eyes blinked in the dark alley nearby and disappeared, but not before letting out a low and menacing cackle. "Ooh, what an unusual predicament the little Princesses find themselves in!"

When Veilia got them all a seat, she ordered a Puckerberry Ice for her and her sister. Soon a transparent waitress brought some strange, ghost version of sugar cookies out and set them down in front of Ravanna. "Complements of the head baker, for the returned Princesses!" she smiled in a way that should've been sweet, but Ravanna had a problem seeing past the fact that the girl's legs… simply weren't there. Her waist tapered down to where her knees should have been and then she just sort of floated a few feet about the ground. Her old fashioned waitress's outfit was ripped and torn… but that seemed to be the fashion around here, she noticed. The girl's skin was transparent and green. The waitress didn't pay her or her stares any mind, and continued back to the kitchen, smile still plastered to her face.

"Okay," Ravanna whispered, "I think I've lost my mind, but," she looked over at Veilia, "at least I'm not alone in this."

Veilia put a reassuring hand on Ravanna's wrist. "Don't worry, Ravanna. I know this is going to come as a shock, but this is where we were born."

Ravanna nodded dumbly. "I had a feeling it was something like that. The bridge seemed to know me."

"Yes. The bridge is made up of the same type of stuff the spirits are, but it wasn't alive when it was destroyed. That happens sometimes. People show so much appreciation for something, when it's destroyed; it comes here, and is reborn in a way that it can appreciate back. But it's not quite the same as a ghost. We crossed that bridge when we were little, do you remember?"

"Sort of… I remember seeing the Orphanage from far off, but I don't remember leaving here."

"That's part of the protocol for a transfer." Jack stated. "You weren't supposed to remember unless you came back. You're memories should return soon enough."

Ravanna then studied Jack and Sally. "You aren't ghosts." She stated it as-a-matter-of-factly. "How did you get here?"

"The train. There's a ghost train that goes from Holiday Forest to here, but the door to the station is much more hidden than the other doors." Sally informed. "A few years ago, a few… events… led to a big problem which caused all of the leaders o the holiday towns to band together in counsel. They decided it was time, since now more than a few creatures from the towns knew there were other holidays, that they all have a counsel that helped keep things in order and prevented mix ups or stow-a-ways. Some people don't like their holiday, so we made it where, after a series of tests and questions, you could transfer. But you aren't allowed to remember your old holiday. That's when we realized that it was still possible for Ghosts and Corpses to wander freely. That had caused some problems in the distant past, but we are now trying to correct them by adding their representatives to our counsel. That's part of the reason we're here tonight."

Ravanna tried to take all of this in, "So, if I was born here, then… wouldn't I have to be… I don't know… a little less fleshy?" She pinched her arm for emphasis.

Veilia looked at her with a very serious expression. "We're 'fleshy' because our father was a human and we're 'princesses' because our mother was once the heir to the thrown in Ghost Kingdom. Ravanna, I want you to know, I don't expect you to stay here. Flesh can't survive long in Ghost Village to begin with. When the sun comes up, we have to be on the other side of the ravine. But still, I don't expect you to ever want to stay here, or leave Living World. You've been so happy there. After I become Queen, I'll have to stay, and you can go get your adoptive parents or husband or anything else you might want, but as I am not trying to force you to stay, I don't want you to try to force me to leave, or change my mind about becoming Queen. Not tonight, maybe not next month, but one day, I'm going to have to come back to stay. I don't want you to feel like you have to come, because you don't, yet. You can have a long and healthy life in living world. But before you make any decision at all, I want you to think about both situations very carefully, okay? And I also don't want you to stay just because you're a princess." Veilia was searching for something in Ravanna's eyes. Ravanna didn't know what to think. She was still trying to let the "Ghost Village" part sink in.

After a few moments, she looked a little relieved. "So, what about our mother? Is she here?"

Veilia's eyes clouded for a moment. "She received a transfer shortly after we left. It was mandatory, for our safety. She's not the way you'd remember here, if you can remember her. There are several books about her and our family's rule over in the Ghost Archives, though."

"So, where did she go? What does she look like? Are we anything like her?"

Sally noticed Veilia's unease at these questions and put her free hand over on Veilia's shoulder in support. She then looked at Ravanna. "She transferred to the Holiday Forest."

Ravanna looked confused. "How? That's not a holiday, so what is she?"

Veilia looked up, her monotone expression that she worn in the orphanage firmly in place. "She became a tree. Or more appropriately, a tree spirit, much like the bridge spirit. She's the guardian spirit that watches over the tree that leads to Ghost Village, or will, when everything in the portal is set up properly." Ravanna's head began to hurt. This was too much info to take in on one sitting. A half-breed? A princess? And her mother was a tree? So who was her father? Before she had time to voice her questions, a bell tolled somewhere overhead.

"We have to go, Veilia. They're calling us to the meeting now." Jack stated calmly, helping Sally out of her seat, keeping her on his arm. Veilia stood with Ravanna, keeping her monotone face at all times.

"Well, Ravanna, welcome home. Time to go to your welcoming ceremony." She whispered, with resent in her voice. Ravanna didn't know whom it was directed at, her or the "ceremony", so she just kept quiet and followed, wondering how following her sister just once had caused so much trouble.

'Guess that's why the teachers say I'm a born leader.'

Deep beneath the Village in a hidden fortress, a spirit conversed with a pair of glowing green eyes that stuck out in the gloom all around them.

"So, the other princess IS still alive… and she's here?" A male spirit with a long silver cloak with white and silver peacock feathers outlined in a silver glitter embroidered down the outside, crowned with gray cobweb thin hair and his face hidden with a white masquerade ball mask with white peacock feathers pondered, sitting on a stone throne with a very arrogant and elegant aura around him.

"Yes. I saw her. She was with the Pumpkin King and his girl." The eyes blinked once during this, their slanted shape showing spite for everything he was talking about, so there was no way to tell if he hated the Pumpkin King or the girls. "Her sister did not seem pleased to see her here." This was followed by a deep and rasping chuckle.

"Hmm. How interesting. One would think Miss Veilia was trying to hide her sister from us, wouldn't one? Well, I think it's high time I met the future Queen Ravanna. Veilia might be spoken for, but her sister is open game." He began calculating, his hand poised over his mouth.

He never noticed the green eyed creature disappear and head towards, yet another, would be ghost king's home, tossing a back of white gold coins in the air. "Thank you, princess! For a very… profitable evening!" his cackle could be heard long into the night.

I don't own the shows. If you're wondering, the song Veilia's singing in the beginning is mine. I've decided to call it, "Waltz of Inner Knowing," because she's realizing that all this time in human world, she lacked self-esteem, while here, she has that and more, so long as she can be with "him".


	3. Poor Ravanna

We left our ladies witha meeting to attend! Thanks for the reviews, guys! You can also see this story and a picture of Veilia and Ravanna at Go to the forums section, then click the "Fan Frights and Writes" link. My name there is Masquradiainthestainglassroom.

Veilia began leading Ravanna slowly and patiently through the streets. She didn't even insist that Ravanna stopped staring. As far as she was concerned, Ravanna had every right to stare. It wasn't every day you followed the white rabbit down the rabbit hole, so to speak. She continued to look straight ahead to where the mansion hovered close to the ground. Jack and Sally were a little ways in front of them, just out of earshot in the wide-awake and bustling village.

"Jack, I don't think she's ready to accept responsibility for the Kingdom yet. She's still just a child!"

"I know that, Sally, but there's no one else who should take the throne. The power in her bloodline will control Ghost Village in the end, no matter what. It will find its way back home, even if it were against Veilia's wishes."

"But, she's a child, Jack! And she's promised Edward to marry him and have a baby! How is this going to bring the power of the royal bloodline back? Why doesn't she just wait until she's lived a bit more? Surely the counsel will allow her to stay in Living World until she's of a more decent age!"

"Sally, this isn't just about Veilia. There is another who would accept the throne."

"Ravanna's still too young too…"

"No, Sally. There is someone else who wants to be Queen. She's not very happy with Veilia's choices either, but for a different reason than you and me. You remember when I told you the rule of Ghost Kingdom was split because of a family feud?"

"Yes. You said that the two sides of the family had gotten too big, and during the last years of Veilia's grandfather's reign, there were two heirs to the throne. He separated the powers of his position in half and gave each son a share, but it caused all sorts of problems resulting in the disappearance of Veilia's uncles and her mother, Felicity, coming to the throne."

"Yes, but one of her uncles had a daughter before vanishing, but she wasn't his Queen's daughter. She hadn't been born, though, before Felicity came to the throne." He rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on, "When it was found out that Zachary had a daughter, it was decreed that if Felicity wanted to keep the throne, she needed an heir before Zachary's daughter became of age. Since it's very difficult for ghosts to have children, Felicity hatched a plan. She had been to the Living World many times and had many admirers, one in particular who loved her dearly. Alexander Grey would often visit the forest near here looking for Felicity. When she revealed who she really was to him, as well as her plan, he agreed to be the father of her heir.

When Felicity conceived, it was discovered that the child was going to be half mortal. This didn't sit well with some of the citizens of Ghost Village. A counsel was called. Most of the people on it were the once proud imperial family who had been moved out of the castle because it was decided that only the immediate royal family would be considered noble. They were already bitter about that, and Zachary's heir had been born to that side, promising them a chance to get back into power. When this happened, they said that Felicity had 'cheated' by using a mortal. They decided that, though she would have an heir, it would have to grow up with it's mortal father until it could come back to die and take it's place in the castle. And that if anything happened to Felicity, Zachary's daughter would become Queen anyway."

"So the whole thing was a trap to begin with!" Sally stared at Jack with wide, astonished eyes.

"Yes, but that's when the Holiday Counsel stepped in." he took a deep breath before continuing. "We decided that there was enough of the political conspiracy in Living World, and that the Ghost Kingdom didn't need to be subjected to it here. So we made the deal with the "un-royals" that we would transfer Felicity, leaving the throne open to the first heir who was properly married and had an heir and that the throne would be watched by a steward of sorts. We appointed Edward's father, who was once very loyal to the real royal family, as steward, who in turn left Edward as steward. That's why, currently, he is king." They were now heading up the great stone stairway that lead to the metal doors of the gothic mansion.

"So why not have Zachary's daughter take over Ghost Kingdom?" Sally asked innocently.

"You've obviously never met her. She'd be more in place in Halloween Town… in Oogie's old lair. She's not happy with Veilia's agreement to marry Edward because she doesn't have any willing suitors, and Veilia's taking the lead in this race, so she's more than a little ticked."

"She's a bad ruler, then?"

"Sally that would be an understatement if I had never heard one." Jack stated as he walked past the ghastly guards into the hallway that would lead them to the Grand Hall where they would meet in counsel.

Veilia had been quietly leading Ravanna through the streets, and Ravanna didn't mind the silence so much as the cold look on Veilia's face. Ravanna recognized it. It was the same face she had on everyday at the orphanage. The face that she used to keep everyone out and away. Ravanna couldn't figure out why Veilia was suddenly so pensive.

"Hey, Veilia? What's wrong? I know you're trying to block me out, but it's not healthy to keep everything bottled up inside. I'm sorry I followed you, but I was worried about you." Veilia suddenly looked up at her sister.

"Why do you try so hard?" She asked it as though it were totally on topic.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you always try so hard when you're doing your shows and cuddling up to prospective parents and the teachers? Why is it so important to you to be the perfect example of what every parent wants? Is it because you thought mom and dad didn't want us? Or is it because you don't feel wanted?"

Ravanna stared at her sister. What brought this on? Ravanna thought about it. She really had felt like she was unworthy for the longest time, but pride wouldn't let her admit that. She didn't want anyone to know that she felt like no one would ever love her. "I just want to do my best, Veilia. I want to be my best at everything."

"Well, I try… I try to be the best I can too. But where as you want to be your best for you, so that you can gain for it, I try my best to help these people, and the kids at the orphanage. That's why I'm here. That's my goal, Ravanna. What's yours? Why do you try?"

Ravanna just stared at the ground. How was she supposed to reply? 'I do it because I feel alone and I don't want to be alone anymore?'

They caught up with Jack and Sally at the top of the stairs and followed them inside, Ravanna not looking anywhere and frankly just feeling annoyed that she'd even bothered following her sister, and Veilia wishing she were a spirit who could disappear into the shadows and slip away. Inside, they were both thinking the same thing. Why? Why did she follow?

Soon they were in a large hall that, at one end, had several tall backed chairs, many of which were already filled. Ravanna looked up at the crystal chandelier, it's dusty, tear shaped, tendrils prism-ing the dim light.

When she looked up, Jack and Sally were seated next to the others. She recognized several of them from stories. Mr. & Mrs. Claus, the Easter Bunny, a Leprechaun, Cupid, a Pilgrim and an Indian, and a few others.

When Veilia stopped before them and bowed, she pulled Ravanna down to do the same, but though Ravanna's body bowed, her face still stared.

Edward was seated to the left and there was a doorway with red, musty, velvet curtains tied up on either side to the right.

"Hello, again, Princess Veilia." Santa was the first to speak. "And Ravanna. A little bossy, but always generally a good girl. Welcome back."

Ravanna finally found her voice. "Santa Claus?" she squeaked. 'Is this possible? Am I awake? Am I sane?' She wanted to voice these questions, but didn't want to seem foolish.

The bearded old man let out a chuckle. "You never were one for fairy tales, Ravanna. I'm surprised you even came."

Veilia, realizing that Ravanna was very shocked, and understanding why, spoke up. "She didn't realize what was going on. She simply followed me, worried about me. Besides, as long as she's here, she might as well get used to the fact that this is where we came from."

Santa and several other figures nodded. Then a little green fairy, seated next to the Leprechaun, stood up.

"Do you plan to challenge Veilia for the crown, Ravanna?" She seemed worried about the subject.

"Titania! Now that's not very nice! She just got here! She probably doesn't even grasp what's going on! Forgive her, Ravanna. I'm Emily, from the Land of the Dead." a blue, slightly decaying woman in a bridal gown stood up and extended her right, least decayed, hand. "Nice to meet you."

Ravanna tentatively took the hand and allowed Emily to shake it. "N-nice to meet you, t-too." she whispered.

"Are you alright, dear? You look a little pale." Emily watched Ravanna with a slightly worried expression. Suddenly her eye popped out and a wormy maggot with buckteeth and red lips stuck his head out.

"Of course she's pale! I bet the fact that she's half ghost doesn't help her to get a tan." The eye landed in Ravanna's just shaken hand, and she couldn't help it, she shrieked. It wasn't loud, or long, just annoying.

Emily grabbed the eye back and placed it back in her socket. "Sorry 'bout that! Maggots…" she shrugged her shoulders.

Ravanna was shaking a little. "Veilia, if I come out of this insane, just know, I blame you for leading me here!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

The outburst had caused several snickers and giggles throughout the room.

Veilia grabbed her hand. "Excuse me, counsel men and women. I would like to introduce, Princess Ravanna of the Ghost Kingdom, daughter of the late Felicity, and heir prospect to the throne." She bowed, forcing Ravanna to do the same.

"Well, back to the business at hand…" Santa picked up a scroll and began reading. "First off, the portal to the Ghost Kingdom. We have to decide where to connect it to on this side. I would say the forest between here and the Burton Orphanage was a sure bet, but it's a bit close to civilization."

The Leprechaun looked over from his place, "I motion that it be put in the mountain grove, behind the city and furthest away from being seen. There's much less chance of it being noticed up there." His hi and somewhat fitting voice tried to sound important.

Santa nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me. I second the motion! Do we have a third?" Emily and Jack raised their hands at the same time. "All for the motion, say I."

A chorus of I's went up around the room. "It's settled, then. We'll complete the portal from Ghost Kingdom to Holiday Forest through the mountain grove behind Ghost Village."

Veilia and Ravanna remained standing in the court-like room through everything. Then finally, they came to the last two matters.

"Hmm… It seems Edward has put in a request for protection." Santa mused. "My, my, Edward! What has caused this? Is _she_ threatening…?"

Edward stood up, shaking his head from side to side. "No, good counsel members. As King of the Ghosts, I am indebted to make three deals with whosoever helps me in anyway. Under these circumstances, a young girl made me a deal that if I gave her 5 more years of life outside of the Ghost Kingdom, that she would be the source of an heir." Gasps went up around the room at this, as well as heated murmurs. "Both sides of the deal seemed even to me, but there are other matters that need to be watched over while I'm away, securing this contract and upholding both ends."

Ravanna listened to this with mild interest, waiting until everything was over and she could leave to go to bed. It was getting fairly late! She'd be lucky to roll out of bed at noon tomorrow at this rate!

"Edward, steward of Ghost Village and the Ghost Throne, to whom was this deal made?" Santa asked, knowing the answer, but doing as protocol demanded. Sally glared and Jack stared determinedly, holding onto her arm as Edward took a deep breath for his answer, during which, the entire room decided to pause, as if the very walls were listening to find out who would deny them of their King for five years.

"My lady, Princess Veilia, daughter of Felicity, heir prospect to the Ghost Crown has made this contract."

Ravanna's eyes were very close to popping out of their sockets. She turned to her sister, who was eerily calm about all of this.

"WHAT!" Ravanna shrieked. "You said you'd have to come back, but you never told me that…" She pointed at Edward, "You're gonna be a mother to HIS child! A ghost! A Dead Guy? Why! You're so young and… alive!" Veilia tried to touch her shoulder, but was knocked away.

Edward came to Veilia's side. "You would have had to make the same decisions, Ravanna. Would you have let her endure the same things as you would have as an heiress? She made her first deal trying to keep you out of this. I'm not allowed to sway you in anyway to come here or stay here because she promised to marry me."

Ravanna's eyes lit up with anger and something much like hurt. "AHH! So that's it! Why all the mystery, Veilia? Did you think I would take all of this away from you? Did you think that maybe you had more of a right than me to make decisions about our lives? What is up with you? And here everyone thought you weren't demanding at all, but a timid little mouse! WHAT A HOAX!"

Sally's eyes had turned from an angry and accusing glare to a worried glance between the sisters. "Come on now, there's no reason to fight. You're sisters…"

"Sisters? Sisters don't lie to each other! Sister's don't keep secrets! SISTER'S LOVE EACH OTHER ENOUGH TO LET EACH OTHER IN! ESSPECIALLY WHEN THE MATTER COULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF THEIR LIVES!"

Veilia looked away. She didn't want Ravanna to see how deeply each accusation hurt. For some reason, she couldn't conger up her monotone mask. The tears in her eyes wouldn't stop forming. She was going to cry, she realized. For the first time in years, she couldn't control her crying.

Suddenly, there was drawling applause in the air. Everyone turned to the right side of the room, where, leaned against the doorframe, stood a white and silver clad ghost who reeked arrogance in his masquerade mask and peacock embroidered cloak.

"Well done, Lady Ravanna! I couldn't have said it better myself."

Cupid looked up indignantly. "What are you doing here, Doppler? This is a counsel meeting, not a ball."

He bowed mockingly to them. "Oh! DO pardon me for such an intrusion. I was passing through when I heard this young lady's most powerful speech. I simply had to see who had such a beautiful speaking voice and such strong and righteous views." He smiled winningly at Ravanna.

She didn't know what to think. With everything that was happening, her head was spinning.

With and elegant sweep of his hand, there was a chair behind Ravanna.

"Allow me, Princess," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her into the high-backed chair.

She collapsed into it like welcoming arms of a savior. She was still very angry at Veilia, but what could she possibly do about it? She didn't want to be Queen of the Spooks. She just wanted to be loved and happy like any other human girl. But she also worried about Veilia. Veilia wasn't very outspoken. She was worried that people would walk all over her, if they hadn't already. How long had Veilia been coming here? Could someone already be taking advantage of her? She looked up to see Edward and Doppler staring each other down.

'EDWARD! He could be taking advantage of my sister's innocence and quiet demeanor!'

Santa and the other counsel members discussed for about ten minutes before Jack slammed his fist on the arm of his chair, scaring the two men out of their staring contest.

"We've decided," Santa started, "to grant Edward's request for protection of the throne while he keeps his promises." Doppler looked like he was going to say something, but Sally quickly interjected.

"On to the last piece of business. Santa?" She watched him intently. She wanted to actively participate in this next part.

"Yes, thank you Sally. The last article we are to discuss is about… the crowning of the next Queen of the Ghost Kingdom. There are some debates as to whether or not Veilia is ready, and some question of… HER."

Sally stood up and looked at Veilia. "Veilia, I motion that you, and Ravanna, are too young to accept the crown and, under the circumstances that there is currently no suitable heir to accept the throne, that the contract with the late lords and ladies of Ghost Village be delayed until the heirs in question are more experienced."

Suddenly the room quieted. Most of the council was looking at Sally in shock, while others were studying Veilia.

Veilia took a deep breath, then met Sally's gaze. "I understand your concern, Mrs. Skellington, but please try to understand. For at least 5 years I've trained for this. After five more years, I believe I'll have it all down. I wish the very best for this Kingdom, for all Kingdoms, and I don't want anything to warp the peace and justice that has finally settled here. That's why I'm going to take the throne, Ma'am. That's why I can't waste time growing up right now."

Sally glared at the floor. Emily put her chin in her skeleton hand.

"If only it weren't for Sazarah." Emily whispered. The council gasped and stared at her, as she realized what she said and smack her good hand over her mouth. "I mean her! I-I meant her!"

"Now you've done it!" the maggot in her head whispered.

"Oh! Be quiet, you!"

Suddenly the room filled with purple smoke and a tinkling laugh rang through the air.

"Ah! Hello, everyone! Ooh! A party! That's funny… my invitation must've got lost in the mail!" An auburn headed girl, dressed in what was once an elegant ballroom gown before it was, apparently, burned at the edges, in some places, it was totally gone, leaving only the yellowed layers of silk beneath the crimson top layer. Her ghost heritage shown as her outline seemed more like that of a mirage, making the crimson part of her gown dance like red flames. When the smoke cleared, everyone could see that she had a long, thick lacey black fan in front of her face. She snapped it shut and glared menacingly around the room.

"That **_is _**why I wasn't aware of this little get together, right?" Her charcoal eyes stared in Veilia's direction the hardest. Then she noticed Ravanna. "Ahh! So that's what this is all about!" In a flash, she had disappeared and reappeared behind Ravanna's high-backed chair. She poked her head out. "Hello, little cousin! It's nice to meet you after, how long's it been… oh, 11 years? Did you come back to wish me well on ruling this junk heap? Don't worry, though. I have every intention of making some BIG changes, starting with the palace! We need some pest control." sarcasm oozed from her mouth like saliva and she glanced around looking at the counsel with a mocking smile.

"We've met?" Ravanna asked, staring blankly at the strange girl before her who's hair seemed to be defying gravity. It stuck out, mostly in and upward direction, curling in long tendrils at the very top, but at the base of her head it wasn't sure which way it wanted to go, and looked like it was in a frizzy frenzy trying to figure it out.

"Oh, Ravanna, sweetie! Don't you remember me? We used to play in the dungeon together!" She smiled like a cat does when it thinks it has the canary. "Good times, those."

"What part of trying to pull her in half by her hair is playing?" Veilia asked heatedly.

Sazarah just smiled patronizingly. "Oh, come on! I was just a kid! I wanted to see if she would become two different people. Most worms can do that, you know," she chuckled. She then noticed Doppler, still staring darkly at Edward.

"Hiya, Eddie! Dopey!" She smiled and wiggled her fingers in a wave. Doppler straightened and nodded his head.

"I would expect no better from you, Miss Sazarah, Lady of the Dead Catacombs and Queen of the dust mites. How unfortunate that you should feel the need to grace these halls. We planned on having dinner afterwards, but now I don't think anyone could possibly stomach it. You're very scent is enough to make a staving wild dog loose his appetite."

"Hmph! You're just upset because I wouldn't let you rule the kingdom!" She retorted, examining her nails. "But, back to the matter at hand. Miss Emily here had interrupted a very interesting decision to summon me here." She looked at Emily out of the corner of her eye. "Oh how I so LOVE the 'Speak the Name of the Devil' spell, don't you?" Emily shifted uncomfortably under the gaze.

Veilia smacked her head in annoyance at the overly flippant heiress. "Santa? You were saying?" she redirected the conversation, causing Sazarah to become angry at the loss of her audience.

She glared and crossed her arms as Santa looked back at the scroll.

"Ahem. Well, under the circumstances… I think we'd best call for the delay…"

"What delay?" Sazarah asked innocently. "Why would we need to delay anything?"

The Indian was the first to answer. "Veilia and Ravanna are too young and you have not met the requirements to become Queen. A delay is the only answer." Sally was relieved to see someone had backed her up on this.

"I'm ready! I'm totally capable! I don't need a man to sit beside me and watch me make decisions!" She pointed an accusing finger at Edward as she said this. "What good reason is there that I can't be Queen! I'm almost 40 years old, for Christ's sake! Why can't you just admit that I'm the best candidate!"

Jack pointed at her. "You've made this argument over and over and the answer is still the same. You can't be a Queen until you are at the very least able to give an heir. If that's not possible, we could end up back in this same old spot again, should you decide to transfer! End of story, Sazarah!" His hand closed into a fist and hit the arm of his chair; a sound that was very similar to a judge's hammer being thrown, signaling the verdict was final.

"And with that said," Mrs. Claus began, "I do hereby motion that the contract be delayed until we have an appropriate Queen candidate." Second's went up around the room and it was decided that the delay would become effective immediately.

"HA! I can't believe this!" Sazarah's dress began evaporating into a crimson mist which filled the entire room. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, you Holiday Clowns! I'll have the throne of Ghost Kingdom if it's the last thing I do! I swear it on my father's grave! And I'll dance over all of your graves!" With that, the mist cleared and she was gone.

Ravanna looked at Veilia with wide, haunted eyes. She looked like she'd just, pardon the expression, seen a ghost. "Can we go home now?" she asked pleadingly. "I swear I'll never follow you again. I'll never ask you to do the shows again! Just please take me back to the Orphanage!" And with that, she allowed her face to fall into her waiting hands and sobs shook her small body.

Doppler was the first to reach her. "It's alright, Princess. It's just a shock now, is all. In the morning, I'm sure you'll have a whole new outlook on things. Maybe, you'll come back to visit me?" She looked up, her red, puffy eyes meeting his dark, confident ones. She nodded quietly, not trusting her voice not to crack.

"Maybe." she whispered. He lifted her hand and kissed it gently.

" 'Twould be my honor, milady." Doppler bowed elegantly for her, causing her to blush. Suddenly he was pulled away.

"I'll have none of that, you pompous arrogant…" Edward pulled him away muttering more adverbs for Doppler's personality than I care to mention. "You stay away from her! I know what you're really after, and I won't let you take advantage of her to get it!"

"Come now, Edward! You've already got a lady on your arm. One would be so bold as to think you fancied both of them, with the way you're acting!" Doppler straightened up his cloak and mask as he continued.

"I like both of them as much as any friend would; enough to keep you far away!" Edward was so angry, he was literally turning red.

"Fine. Chivalry is not totally dead. I'll leave the lady be, for now. But she is her own person, Edward. You can't keep her locked away in a tower." He blew a kiss at Ravanna and strutted out the door with seemingly no less arrogance than when he arrived.

Soon after that, Ravanna noticed everyone was slowly filtering out of the room to go get dinner, she presumed.

'Forget dinner. I'm going home! I've had enough of this Mad Hatter's tea party!"

END CHAPPIE!

Well, it took me longer than the last one, but it's done! Wow… from a distance it sure does seem like a whole lot of nothing important. Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. RandR please! And I don't own NMBC or CB, so cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it already! (Did anyone notice all the Alice in Wonderland Cameos?) Lol


	4. My Obsession

When Ravanna woke up in the orphanage, her first instinct was to totally pass everything off as a dream. Just forget it. Then she reached beneath her pillow. There, seemingly like it was there for some grand mission, was a beautiful purple rose that was almost black at the tips of the petals and worked it's way back into a fluffy lavender. Beneath it lay a hand written note from the Holiday Counsel. She picked up the note and reread it.

Heiress Prospect Ravanna;

The Holiday Counsel does hereby extend an invitation for any and all Counsel meetings in the event that you should decide to audition for sovereign rights. The Holiday Counsel does hereby instate you as an Honorary Counsel Member and Trustee of Common Wealth.

Please feel free to join us on any full moon.

All the counsel members signed it. Ravanna put it under her pillow again so the other orphans wouldn't see it. She remembered the conversation she and Veilia had had on the way back in the early pre-dawn light.

"You can't let anyone know about Ghost Village, Ravanna. If people found out, this place would be covered in people looking for not only thrills, but trying to find long lost relatives and they aren't supposed to know what goes on here yet. It would totally alter the balance of reality. Living World is for the living and Ghost Village is for the dead. It's that simple."

'If it's so simple, how'd we get dragged into this?' Ravanna rebuked silently. She looked at the rose. It had appeared in her hands when Doppler had left. She supposed that the night had not been all terrible. She'd never had an admirer before. She blushed at the thought.

'I'm so stupid. I don't want to go back… and yet, I do…' Thinking about going back made her think about her mother.

'I want to meet her. Even if she doesn't remember me, I want to meet her. And I want to know who my dad is. Why shouldn't I know? What if I'm a duchess here as well as a princess there? Now THAT would be confusing!' she giggled quietly.

Soon the 7 O'clock bell rang that signaled breakfast. If they weren't down there in thirty minutes or less, breakfast would be gone and they'd have to go to morning class without it.

Ravanna got up. She dressed in the blue dress that all the girls in her age group wore. Not that there were many. Sometimes, when she looked around at all the other children still in the orphanage, she thought that maybe Veilia and her were the only ones over 14 still there. She knew it wasn't true, but still… most girls had been picked for some reason or another by this time. But she had never left because of her sister. And she didn't want to loose her sister. That was the only connection she had to not being alone. To knowing what a family was.

The orphans went through their day as they normally did. A few teachers asked Ravanna why she was so quiet. Ravanna used the excuse that she was tired.

"The full moon was so bright in my window last night, it kept me awake for hours." Upon hearing this, the teachers began to see about getting new drapes for the outer rooms.

Ravanna was worried about other things, though. Her thoughts kept returning to her "epiphany" last night. 'He could be taking advantage of her and she not even know it. Doppler… seemed so nice, but Edward wouldn't let him be nice… Why? Why doesn't Edward want Doppler to be nice to me?' She realized she was walking through the main yard, through the place were the bullies in the school liked to hang out. A girl with an up turned nose glared through the corner of her eyes.

"Well, if it isn't the Princess, descended from on high! Thank you, your Majesty, for gracing us with your presence this day!" The whole crowd laughed for a moment, then watched quietly as Ravanna passed by, still looking spaced out.

'Princess? That's right. I'm a Princess, huh? And Princesses grow up to be Queens, who marry Kings… THAT'S IT! He doesn't want Doppler to be King… HE wants to be King! He's using Veilia to become King of Ghosts! That's what I've been missing!' "That little rat! I'll get him next time!" she swore aloud as the bullies and snobs stared in disbelief.

"What? Did you guys just…?"

"Nope. I didn't see anything!" A girl swore, folding her arms in front of her chest.

Veilia had been closed off from everyone again, only talking to those who demanded her attention, like the teachers. She watched out the window as if expecting a shooting star to simply appear and beg her to go with it to a far off planet. She was already spacey enough…

She began to wonder when Edward would full-fill his promise. Soon, she'd be a grown woman, having spent 12 years of her life in an orphanage. She wasn't sure if it was more than that, because she couldn't remember when she was brought here, but she did remember leaving Ghost Village at 4.

Both sisters continued wondering on their dilemmas until the full moon came again in it's annual cycle of time and light. This time, when Veilia got up from her bed, she gently nudged Ravanna awake.

"Ravanna?" she whispered. "You awake?"

"Yes." She muttered flatly.

"… are you going?"

Ravanna took a full second before throwing back her blankets to reveal her school dress.

"If you think I'm staying here, you're more out of your mind than I thought possible."

They began running thought the forest together, Ravanna panting and scrambling after her sister who seemed to be used to this trek. Ravanna shrieked as an owl flew close enough for it's wings to brush her hair. Then smiled sheepishly to her sister.

"My… You'd think with everything I've seen, an owl would be no big deal… I've never been out past dark…"

Veilia didn't appear to be listening. Her eyes looked determined as she brushed the reaching branches out of her way.

Suddenly, the forest cleared and there was the swing. They could both see the ghost city.

Veilia stood on the edge of the cliff again, and put her foot out in the ballet style Ravanna had seen before. As she began to put her foot down, the bridge streaked back out from the town streets. Ravanna looked on in fascination.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Veilia asked.

"Never mind." Ravanna sighed.

They proceeded into Ghost Town, Veilia feeling much less up tight. That's the way things always were here. She felt at home.

Apparently, it was catching, because Ravanna wore a look of pleasant feelings as well. Veilia grabbed her sister's hand.

"Huh? Veilia? What're you doing?" Ravanna giggled as Veilia began pulling her forward.

"Come on! I'll show you around! You might as well know where everything is, right?" Veilia smiled warmly. Ravanna returned the smile with equal warmth.

"Okay!"

They ran down the street, Veilia pointing at different sights along the way. "See! That's the Sleepy Hollow tavern! And there's the Coffin Café."

Ravanna slowed down as she noticed someone up ahead. It took her a moment to recognise him, but after a moment she smiled and waved. "Hello, Doppler!"

Veilia turned to look at the new interruption. Her eyes became passive and void again. Doppler couldn't help the slight glare in his face when he first set eyes upon her.

"So, what've you been up to?" Ravanna asked enthusiastically.

"I've been thinking of nothing but you since you left, my lady." He held out her arm. "Might I have permission to escort the object of my obsession to a little ball in her honor?"

Ravanna's only answer was a wild blush as she looked from him to Veilia. What was she to do now?


End file.
